The Waters Edge
by TheDinoAvenger
Summary: Toph and Aang are on the case.
1. Case One

You said you loved me

Now it's all a joke

You broke my heart

Now I am sinking countless feet below

My heart is wrenched

My eyes are soaked

It's your entire fault now

This death you have provoked

-This is what you wanted isn't it?

It's been countless . . . countless days since these words have haunted the station. It didn't seem right. Not right at all. This case was significant. It was unique—but maybe it was unique because it reminded me of the man I used to be. It pained me so much to see this. But life goes on . . . What kind of man writes a suicide poetry note? It was formal, written _perfectly_—as if precious time was not a problem. Written so neatly . . . so—

"_Hey Aang! You lazy bum, you look like your about to explode!"_

Toph casually leaned over my desk. I knew what was coming. _A lecture._

"_It ain't nobody's business Toph . . . Nobody's at all"_

"_C'mon Aang—the team has already determined that the kid committed suicide! Case closed. Out of the ball park."_

My hand ran through my hair slowly. It wasn't right. It _can't _be right. He had so much going for him—_Cough. _There was a strained cough behind the both of us. 'What is it now?' I thought to myself. I was certain it was more harassment. It seemed like I was the only one that cared.

"_Hey um, detectives? The coroner would like to see you 'ASAP'. He says it's extremely important."_

Katara flashed her nervous smile and handed them the papers.

"_Let's go I guess. Wouldn't want to keep the old man waiting would we Aang?"_

I rolled my eyes. This station isn't what it used to be . . .

As we made our way to the morgue, I couldn't help but let my imagination run wild. What if there was a break in the suicide case? I knew it wasn't right. It just wasn't right. Nothing seemed right anymore.

"_Probably another body for us to look at Aang."_

"_I ain't sure bout' that T', I think otherwise . . ."_

I could hear her scoff at me and feel her eyes roll.

"_Not with that kid again Aang. I'm telling you it's out of the ball park."_

"_And I'm telling you that it ain't over bud."_

Toph stopped abruptly and refused to go any further. I hated her little delays. It was almost as if she _always _wanted to oppose me! But nonetheless I stopped also, waiting for her childish fit to stop."

"_Let's have a bet."_

"_For what? Wait—you want to bet on a dead kid?"_

"_Dead body Aang, dead body. How about, if it's your guy then I buy you lunch tomorrow. If it's not then you buy me lunch."_

"_I'm not debating over the dead Toph. It ain't right."_

"_What's the harm pal? It's just the morgue. So what do you say?"_

She actually dragged me into this didn't she? Well I am short in the money aspect. . .

"_You're on."_

We strutted to the morgue like we were waiting for a glorious trophy. This was so wrong. So, so wrong in many ways. But yet I didn't know if I _wanted _it to be that boy. I was almost repulsed at the idea. Although, here I was walking into this cold forgotten place. The smell of death.

"_Good mornin' to you detectives. I bet your wondering why you were called down here ya'?"_

Iroh gave a dry cough and another followed. He was getting rapidly older every time I saw him.

"_What do you got for us today Iroh?"_

"_Well that's just the thing, I don't know exactly."_

He slowly pulled the stainless steel door and pulled out the body. The room suddenly got colder . . .

We both stared at her. She was an adolescent. Nothing of what we expected—well of what I was hoping for. I could feel D's smirk forming upon me.

"_I guess I should tell you what restaurant I want Aang."_

"_I beg your pardon?"_

Iroh was absolutely clueless.

"_Yeah, yeah don't get too excited T."_

"_I have absolutely no clue what you two are talking about but, this body is significantly important."_

"_How so?"_

"_Well this young lady has a connection to your suicide victim."_

I felt my heart sing. I _was_ right.

"_Tell us more!"_

"_Hold on Aang. When I looked at the young man again I noticed he didn't have fluid in his lungs. In a normal drowning I find water in the lungs. But there wasn't any. Also, I found bruises on his neck. Some post mortem injuries came after."_

Dear God, he was murdered. I knew it. I knew it deep down.

"_The young lady also had post-mortem injuries. Although she drowned beforehand."_

"_Well Aang, looks like an investigation."_

"_Before you gentlemen leave, you should take this."_

He handed us a locket. With "Avatar Junior High" on the front.

"_This was found on the young lady, it was pressed into her chest after time of death and left an washed ashore a couple days after she was found."_

We thanked him and wished him well. He told us he would call if anything more was found, he assured us more was to come. As we headed back towards the station, I laughed.

"_What's so funny Aang?"_

"_Looks like nobody ain't won nothing."_

"_I suppose. But mark my words I will win the next bet!"_

All night. I wasn't dreaming anymore. I wasn't remembering anymore. I just wanted everything to go past, the pain, everything. Yet, somehow I sleep without dreaming and it's . . . peaceful

"_Good morning Aang."_

"_Hey Katara. How was your week?"_

"_It was okay, could've been better—how is the case going? I hear they found a second body and it has connection to the first victim!"_

"_I guess word spreads fast huh?"_

She laughed warmly. What a pleasant person.

"_Hey Katara, would you like to go get some dinner tomorrow?"_

"_Oh I would love to but . . ."_

"_You're not ready yet? Are you?"_

"_No, I'm sorry Aang. I'm still grieving."_

"_Take your time Kat. It's ok, we all are."_

I just wished she could've said yes. That would be one less night alone.

"_You ready to go to the school today Aang buddy?"_

"_As ready as I'll ever be T."_

We pulled close to the entrance. It was an average look for a building, nothing great. I have seen too much to be impressed by the little things anymore. We strutted through the hallway to the principal's office. The door opened with a monotonous man smiling briefly.

"_Come in gentlemen, come in!"_

He was anxious. Nervous. Guilty. He was hiding something.

"_Can I interest you two in some coffee?"_

"_No thank you Principle Zhao."_

"_You remember our conversation on the phone?"_

He shifted his position slightly. He was uncomfortable.

"_Yes I do . . ."_

"_Did you know Azula?"_

This was where Toph would ask the questions, I was the observer. It was our tactic "Bait and Tackle".

"_As an academic excellence student, she was well-known for her ability of intelligence."_

"_I guess what I mean sir is . . . Did she have any relationships with anybody?"_

"_Why yes, she was seeing the "class-clown" Sokka. I know this because he was in my office almost every week! Always doing something unruly."_

He still looked nervous; his eyes were shifting to his side when he said "in my office".

"_You seem to know a lot about them Zhao. Did you know them on a personal level?"_

His face drained a little, he started to sweat at the palms of his hands."

"_I-I knew them as students investigators, nothing more. If you have any more questions then contact me later gentlemen! I-I have much work to do!"_

"_Yes sir, we will keep in touch."_

We left shaking our heads. He was the one. He probably killed them both. Jealousy perhaps.

"_What do you think Aang?"_

"_He did it."_

"_Wow, you really think so?"_

"_Of course. I know it."_

We headed back to the station. Katara was waiting for us in our office.

"_We had a break through!"_

"_That's wonderful, what kind of breakthrough?"_

"_The suicide note the graphologist analyzed, concluded it was forged."_

I grew very excited, this was in the bag. This kid wouldn't die in vain. The office Momo worked at was quite a ways away, so we had to contact him through phone.

"_Hey guys, I have some helpful evidence."_

"_Aang here, shoot."_

"_Okay, so I looked at the handwriting and realized it was way too thought out. The words are exactly .3 mm apart and all the letters are in perfect harmony. Even the psychologist says this poem/suicide note seemed too well thought out. We have both concluded that a very disturbed man or woman had taken the time to write this after the time of death._

"_Why after the time of death, and why male or female?"_

"_Well, because the writing is so perfect, its genderless. The poem it's self would be longer if it had been before death. I mean wouldn't you want to say goodbye the long way?"_

"_Personally Momo I would just do it quickly. Ha-ha. Thanks for the insight."_

"_No problem Aang—hey take it easy ok?"_

"_Ok M. Goodbye."_

"_Bye."_

**Click.**

I knew that poem was fishy. After a couple of months we were gathering more and more miniscule evidence. When I walked back to my office, Toph had red puffy eyes. Something was up.

"_Cutting onions?"_

"_You need to see Iroh, now."_

I don't think she needed to tell me twice. I slowly made my way to the morgue. Another body perhaps . . . What if it was someone Toph knew? The door seemed to open by itself. I walked inside.

"_This way Aang."_

He was already waiting for me before I got here, and was now showing me to the black bag. He slowly unzipped it. It was too much. Katara. But how?

"_Maybe you should sit down Aang!"_

It was too late, the world was spinning. Floor was all that I felt. Darkness.

"_Aang? You awake . . . Aang? Hey buddy—your finally back down on Earth. That was a nasty fall."_

"_It was all a dream, a horrible dream. Look at the clock, I have to get ready for my dinner with Katara ha-ha!"_

"_Aang . . . she's dead"_

I couldn't let this get to me, no. How was I not crying. It must be _him._

"_Let's get that son-of-a-bitch."_

"_But Aang—we don't have the evidence!"_

"_You ain't going to stop this! I'm not going to let anyone else die!"_

I stormed out of the room. I shortly then after demanded a warrant. He was going down that sick . . . We even got the news that a partial fingerprint came off of the locket and the glasses of Katara. Now we were just waiting for the results. I guess the judge was convinced by my reasons because a couple days later we arrested Principle Zhao. He was in our hands now.

"_Don't play dumb! We know what you did!"_

"_I-I don't know what you are talking about!"_

"_We know all about your sick twisted mind Zhao. We have enough evidence to put you away for a long, long time!"_

Our intimidation must have worked. He began to bawl like a child.

"_Yes! Yes! I did it! I did it!"_

"_We know you killed those people! You just made it easier by confessing."_

"_W-what?"_

"_Don't play dumb, we know you killed those three people. All drowned, strangled, and beaten."_

"_I-I—Azula is . . . dead . . .?"_

"_Well looks like you won the prize. Yes she is dead—along with the other two you brutally killed."_

"_I did no such thing!"_

"_If you didn't then what were you talking about?"_

"_I . . . Oh my . . .I had sexual relations with my students . . . Well Azula to be more . . .specific"_

Dead End.

It turns out he was telling the truth. What now. . .

It's been months. I haven't heard a word on this case, I believe its gone cold. We have no leads.

"_Hey . . . can I talk to you Aang?"_

"_Yeah sure, why not?"_

"_In private."_

"_Sure."_

I assume it has to do with my vacation leave, I'm still not dreaming.

"_Aang, the fingerprints came back."_

"_Really? Who is—"_

"_Let's have a bet Aang."_

"_Now?"_

"_I bet you won't be surprised who it is."_

"_Uh, ok. Well what happens if I lose?"_

"_Don't you worry about that."_

"_Well I guess so."_

"_Good."_

"_So . . . "_

"_Take a guess."_

"_Honestly T' I have no clue."_

"_It's you Aang. It's always been you."_

**Everything froze.**

"Your phone calls were checked before . . . Jet's accident . . . you used to call Katara every day, every night. . . Then her boyfriend went missing . . ."

**The walls are closing in on me.**

"It's strange how when Jet was found he was strangled, drowned, and beaten just like . . . his kid-**Sokka**."

**I can't breathe.**

"It's strange how his kid's sister Azula resembles Katara. I guess when you can't see at night people look similar. I also happened to hear about how Katara has rejected you over and over again."

**No air.**

"You did it, didn't you Aang? Is that why you don't sleep anymore?"

"I don't know about you T, but I could go for a . . . swim right now"

End.


	2. An important update

So it's been quite a while since I updated, I've been busy-extremely busy. Soon though, I'll be able to come out with more (possibly understandable) chapters. Write me so I know if you like the direction (I may or may not listen), the stories are influenced by things that happen in my life (actually sometimes I make them up). If you are dying to know the next part I will personally send you a rough draft of the next chapter (not joking). I've been on hiatus for so long, but I am back. The reason I come back is more people have been messaging me lately and I feel obligated to make the time.

Best,

TheDinoAvenger aka ArtJunkie aka Jenna aka Crocodile Dundee

(Sent from the iPad)


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